Shark Tank Swimming Pool Fire Hose A MISS WITH POOL PROS

The FireFighter1 swimming pool fire hose is a product that made its way onto the popular TV show Shark Tank, where entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to a panel of investors in hopes of securing a deal. The FireFighter1 swimming pool fire hose was a hit on the show and ended up winning over the Sharks, resulting in a successful investment. Whether or not the product will become a hit with consumers, however, remains to be seen.

About The FireFighter 1 Hose

The FireFighter1 system is ostensibly a fire hose designed for swimming pools. The average residential swimming pool has around 25,000 gallons of water and the FireFighter1 claims that it can deploy more than a gallon of water per second, in a controlled spray that can reach up to 40 feet. The product claims to offer homeowners the ability to quickly extinguish small fires that may occur around the pool area. The kit comes with a hose available in 50 and 100-ft lengths as well a 3-way diverter.

One of the primary features touted in the pitch for the FireFighter1 System is its high-pressure nozzle. Manufacturers claim the nozzle is able to produce a powerful stream of water that can effectively extinguish small fires. The hose also comes with a built-in shut-off valve, allowing users to easily control the flow of water. Another key selling feature of the FireFighter1 swimming pool fire hose is its compact size. The hose can be easily stored in a pool shed or other small space, making it readily available in the event of a fire.

On the surface, the system seems like a no-brainer for pool owners who live in areas prone to wildfires. So why are pool industry professionals saying that they’re ready to give this product a hard pass?

Experts Warn Against Using Your Pool To Put Out a Wildfire

Swimming pools and ponds are frequently utilized by fire departments. Typically helicopters are deployed to use the water to combat wildfires. One could argue, doesn’t a product like FireFighter1 make sense for consumers to have in their backyards?

Clearly, the product is targeting homeowners who live in rural areas with fewer available resources to respond to house fires and potential wildfires. This was the premise of the value proposition on Shark Tank. The product however is raising alarms both with pool industry professionals and fire safety experts who feel that the equipment being pitched to the public is inadequate in the face of realworld wildfires.

“I think it will sell. People will buy into it, especially in drought-stricken areas prone to fires. I do think it will work to a certain point if installed correctly - not as in the demo. It needs to be on the discharge of the pump. I don’t think most homeowners will know to change the suction to draw from the main drain versus the skimmer and they will run out of water. I do think it will provide a false sense of security and keep people from evacuating as early as they should. All in all, I’m not a fan.” - CPO Instructor, Host of Talking Pools Podcast, and Best-Selling Author, Rudy Stankowitz.

“There’s not enough water volume. We have a detail/spec for a fire department standpipe off of a dedicated pool main drain for firefighting. It’s a 6” main line to a 4” vertical pipe for a wharf hydrant. It’s a detail that we’ve had approved by the CDF, LA, Santa Barbara & Monterey County Fire Marshals,” Paolo Benedetti - Swimming Pool Expert Witness.

Did Shark Tank Take a Bite on The Wrong Product?

Wildfire prevention and mitigation expert, James Rappuhn feels this product may actually be dangerous in the long run. “I do not feel this is a good solution for homeowners. It creates a false sense of security (“I don’t need to perform necessary home hardening or clearance because I have this pool pump system”). Additionally, wildfires move faster than people know. They should be evacuating to safety not staying home and fighting a fire with inferior equipment. To me, this is a dangerous product. I base this on 20 years of wildfire experience.”

There are numerous threads on social media dedicated to whether or not this is a viable product for consumers. The general consensus among pool professionals and fire safety experts we spoke with is that consumers may have difficulty engaging the system in an emergency and that the flow rate may not be suited to the task of fighting an actual wildfire.

Bianca Wittenberg is the founder of FireFighter1 and current CEO and Lead Product Developer. On the surface, it does not appear that she has much pool or fire safety experience. She owns a residential real estate company called Own It Real Estate and is an operations manager and broker at IBMC Lending. Prior to starting FireFighter1, she owned a synthetic lawn and landscaping business.

Experts we spoke to would like to see more involvement from independent sources both in the pool industry as well as fire safety to ascertain whether or not this product is actually a safer alternative to simply evacuating.

Shark Tank has a history of finding great new products, especially when it comes to pool-related items. One such product that was a big hit was Magic 5, which made a splash with its innovative custom-tailored swim goggles. Sometimes the sharks hit, and sometimes they miss. This certainly wouldn’t be the first fire safety product that went awry for the sharks. For now, however, it’s safe to say that FireFighter1 appears to be a big miss with pool pros.

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BY JOE TRUSTY